Abhayagiri
Monastery is the first monastery in the United States to be established
by followers of Ajahn Chah, a respected Buddhist Master of the ancient
Thai forest tradition of Theravada Buddhism.

The origin of the Monastery can be traced to visits to Northern California
in the early 1980's by Ajahn Sumedho, Ajahn Chah's senior Western disciple.
Over the next ten years, he developed a devoted following of students.
In 1988, they formed the Sanghapala Foundation, with the mission of creating
a branch monastery of Ajahn Chah's lineage. In 1990, Ajahn Amaro accompanied
Ajahn Sumedho to California and thereafter became the central teacher
for the California students.

Efforts to establish the California Monastery moved slowly until 1995.
As Ven. Master Hsüan Hua, abbot of the City of 10,000 Buddhas, located
in Ukiah, California, approached his death, he instructed his disciples
to deed over to Ajahn Chah's disciples 120 acres of forest, in Redwood
Valley, 15 miles north of the City of 10,000 Buddhas. On several occasions,
Master Hua had made a point of stating that it had been the dream of his
life "to bring the Northern and Southern traditions of Buddhism back
together again." His offering was one of open-hearted ecumenical
friendship. It enabled the communities to be physically close and to relate
in an atmosphere of mutual respect and harmony.

In choosing a name for the Monastery it seemed appropriate to reflect
on the kindness of this offering and the spirit in which it was intended.
It also felt important to use a name in the Pali language -- to confirm
the sense of allegiance to the Theravada tradition. The name that was
finally settled upon "Abhayagiri" means "Fearless Mountain".
The original Abhayagiri Monastery was in ancient Sri Lanka, at Anuradhapura.
That monastery was most notable for welcoming practitioners and teachers
from many different Buddhist traditions. They lived there amicably alongside
one another, distinct in their particular practices but not separate as
communities. During the fourth century Abhayagiri housed 5,000 monks.